Sunday Snapshot Instagram Style 007.

One & Two.

This week I made oreo brownies and they were amazing! This is the first thing I've baked that's actually turned out as I hoped it would and I was so so proud of myself! I've been bitten by the baking bug & hopefully I'll be good enough at it by September so I can make my boyfriend a super amazing birthday cake!

Three & Four.

I've been using instagram for ages and I only just discovered the tilt shift thingy that makes pictures look a little bit more profesh! It basically lets you pick an area of your picture to be in focus and blurs the rest making it look like you've used a camera with a fancy pants lens! Those little doggies are key toppers & I bought them from find-me-a-gift. I love them!

Five & Six. 

Thank you lots for all your opinions on my specs! I absolutely love both of those pairs & since it's buy one get one free it'd be rude not to get both! My favourites are the first pair even though I think the second ones suit me a little bit more. They're both retro inspired & I can't wait to get them! I'm all about the statement glasses, small and subtle frames seriously make my face look even chubbier - it's not a good look for me!

Seven & Eight.

After much faffing around I got my bunny dress from missguided. The tag in the dress says s/m when I ordered a m/l but it seems to fit me fine. If it really is a s/m then it really shouldn't fit me but I reckon it's just got the wrong size label sewn in it. I'm not that small! I absolutely love it anyway, I'm bunny mad right now. Anything with a bunny on it I want! I was even in Sainsburys the other day and spotted salt and pepper shakers that looked like bunny ears & wanted them. ...I don't use salt or pepper!

Nine. 

I battled with my wardrobe the other day & finally managed to get it sort of organised! I find it really difficult to organise my clothes & anything I do usually ends up getting disorganised within a week. But I'm going to try really hard to keep it tidy & hopefully I'll end up wearing more of my clothes because I can actually see them!

Ten. 

I got a Babyliss Waving Wand & I adore it! A lot of people told me to get a conical wand instead but I'm not after proper curls in my hair - I look a bit like Miss Piggy when I do & it's not a good look for me at all. I crossed my fingers that this would give me big & bouncy waves & I think it's perfect!

Eleven & Twelve. 

This is the result of my first quick go at the waving wand. I grabbed 2 inch or so pieces of hair at random & held them on the lowest heat setting for about 6 seconds each and it took no time at all. I combed through the waves with a wide tooth comb and ruffled them up a bit to make it a bit messier & I'm super happy. Can't wait to section my hair properly and give it a proper go! I love how the waves give me so much more volume than I usually have!

Are you having a lovely weekend? Have you had any exciting plans?
xoxo

P.S. Don't forget to enter my Sawyer & Scout giveaway! You've got until Wednesday to enter!

Five Things I Love Friday 017 - On a Saturday because I forgot yesterday! Oops!

One. Hero & Cape.

Hero & Cape are nothing short of fabulous & I've just pinched a bit of their press release to give you an idea of what they're about because they say it better than I ever could!

"Hero & Cape are a brand new British fashion label that makes you the hero of the story, with unique original hand drawn illustration & screen printed T-Shirts! We promise to be a T-Shirt brand with a difference by incorporating fashion and hand drawn graphics. The illustrations are the work of one very talented graphic designer, Niki Lau!"

I think they've got some amazing designs & they really do deserve all the support in the world, they're wonderful! You can keep up with what they're up to on Twitter @HeroAndCape.

Two. Glasses. 

Thank you for all your feedback on my post a couple of days ago about my new specs. Pretty much all of you said you really liked them both, you're either being way too nice or I picked some nice frames haha. I think I got a couple of people saying they're too big for my face but that's exactly what I wanted. I have a huge face, I'm talking really big here & small and subtle frames instantly add half a stone & make my face look chubby. I'm all about the statement glasses, it's just me! I've decided to get both pairs because Glasses Direct have amazing deals! Free second pair AND 20% off AND free delivery, err yes please!!

Three. Witch Products. 

There have been quite a lot of Witch giveaways held on various blogs recently & I've been lucky enough to win quite a few items. I have dry skin & I wasn't expecting anti-blemish products to work so well for me but I'm really impressed with them - especially the pressed powder! I think I might do a post on them, if anyone's interested?

Four. Nice weather!

I'm not a big fan of super hot weather & blazing sunshine, but I do like nice temperatures & sitting in the garden with a good book during warm summer evenings. This summer in my little part of the UK has been rubbish. Lots & lots of rain! But I think things are starting to look up now, fingers crossed!

Five. Instagram. 

Hands down my favourite app ever! I was always super jealous of anyone with an iPhone because they'd always have all these lovely little snaps of their lives but now I can join in on the fun!

One. The Velvet Bow. Two. Topshop Princess. Three. Hero & Cape.

Four. Dolly x Face.  Five. To Limbo and Beyond.

What have you loved this week? Any favourite blogs? Link me in the comments!
What's your favourite design from the Hero & Cape website?
xoxo

Specsy?

Glasses, for me at least, are an investment piece & I look at them as an accessory. Without them I can see very little & since they're something I wear every single day it's nice to have a bit of choice! My first home trial from glasses direct was a bit of a disaster, nothing really suited me properly but this time, I think I may have struck gold twice!

Keeping in mind I love statement frames, what do you think?
I'd love to know what you think, even if you hate both pairs on me, let me know in the comments below!
xoxo

What I Wore: Polka Dot Dress.

My 'favourite' dress changes all the time, probably almost weekly, so I shall say that my current favourite is this beautiful little polka dot ruffle dress with a tie at the waist from Peacocks. FYI It's now a complete steal at £15 online if you love it & there's a plain pink version too just in case the print it a bit much for you.

Although I love love love this dress, I don't completely love it on me by itself. I'm not a huge fan of the tops of my arms & I think my skin tone is a little too light and overwhelmed with such a bold colour and pattern. A simple black cardigan or blazer completely transforms the dress into something that makes it totally wearable for me.

Dress: Peacocks - Now £15 in the sale but £32 originally. 

Black Cardigan: George at Asda - A super long time ago - £5. 

Copper Heart Ring: Scape Jewellery - £12.99.

Uncut Ruby Ring: Studio59.

When I purchased it I had put on a little bit of weight & was verging more towards a size 14 than my usual 12 & I do quite like my summery dresses to be a little more flowy than usual but after losing a few pounds (still a little way to go until I reach my goal though!) this is a little bit too big for me. The tie at the waist keeps it looking pretty flattering though which I love & maybe I'll get the needle and thread out & nip it in a little at the bust.

Boyfriend Blazer: Primark 2009 - £15ish. 

Make Up: MAC Face & Body foundation shade C1 £25.50, Benefit Boi-ing concealer £16.50, MAC Semi Precious Rose Quartz MSF £20.50 as a blush/highlight, Collection 2000 Big Fake mascara £4.99 & Carmex lipbalm £2.69.

If it's a little cooler outside or if I want to wear this beauty in the winter (which I absolutely will!) then I've been really liking mixing the more masculine look of the boyfriend blazer from Primark with the super feminine ruffles of the dress. This is a really versatile piece, it can be worn with or without tights, with a cardigan or a heavier blazer or coat & it looks lovely with either heels or flats. I'm silly & didn't photograph the shoes I was wearing but on this occasion it was a pair of simple black flats. If I were going out in the evening & wanted to make an effort I'd pair it with my favourite pair of black heels that I've been practicing (I'm very new to heels!) walking in & I think I'm getting pretty good at it! Yay!

I'm really out of outfit of the day picture taking practise but I think these are one of my favourite posts to write! Hopefully the lighting isn't terrible & I didn't ramble too much, or at least no more than usual!

What would you wear this dress with? Do you have a favourite dress in your wardrobe?
xoxo

Bomb Cosmetics Ice Cream Body Washes & MeMeMe Summer Brights Nail Polish.

Find me a Gift is one of those websites that you can get lost in for hours looking at all the items they have to offer & I’m pretty sure that if it’s a friends birthday soon or you just want to buy someone a gift for no reason (we’d all like that sometimes, right?!) you’ll find something suitable here. And no, I wasn’t paid to say that. I genuinely love this website, I’ve already purchased these because I’m one of those people that has a million keys on their keyring and stands at the front door for ages figuring out which key is the right one & I’ve already spotted some items that will make perfect presents for friends and family!

I was contacted by the PR company for Find me a Gift & informed about the new range of fashion & beauty products available on the website which I hadn’t been aware of previously. I was invited to have a look around & see if anything caught my eye & in typical Jennie fashion, lots of things did! One of my close friends loves cosmetics & her birthday is a couple of months away and unfortunately we no longer live near each other so I just know that I’ll be purchasing this make up bundle for her & making use of the gift wrap service available! She’ll love it & honestly, I’ll be tempted to get one for myself too because that’s how buying presents works right? One for my friend & one for me!

The first items that caught my eye were these ice cream body washes by Bomb Cosmetics. I’ve tried a couple of items from Bomb in the past & always loved them. I remember having some square soaps from them with a little sponge on the top when I was younger & I thought they were amazing! They have a few different scents but the raspberry & mint choc chip stood out to me the most.

They both smell incredible in their cute little ice cream tub shaped boxes & the product inside certainly doesn’t disappoint either. I find them both to be incredibly gentle & moisturising on the skin, they lather up beautifully and the scent fills the entire bathroom which I love! The scent doesn’t last for a particularly long time on the skin once you’re out of the bath or shower which is a plus for me because I want to smell like my perfume & not like my shower gel.

The packaging is adorable & would absolutely make a perfect gift. It felt a little bit like Christmas when I was opening the box & I would be thrilled to receive these products on my birthday or at Christmas. Granted the packaging isn’t the most practical thing in the world, it’s not as easy as a squeezy bottle, but the practical factor is always something I’m willing to overlook if the product is worth it. You may not feel the same, so that is something to bear in mind! They're currently on sale for £3.99 each & so while they may not be something you constantly repurchase for yourself, they're perfect as a little pick me up purchase, or for a friend or family member you know would really enjoy them. I know my mum keeps pinching the raspberry one from me!

The second item that caught my eye is this MeMeMe Summer Brights nail polish set. You may have seen me sporting skittles coloured nails in a couple of my recent posts and that was because I was testing out these polishes & I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality! The little box they come in is really nice, it's sturdy & the design makes it look more expensive than it actually is which is brilliant.

The colours inside are bright, eye catching and perfect for the summer! So even if the weather is less than ideal, my nails are going to be feeling summery for weeks to come! I usually have a real problem with nail polish peeling off as soon as I've applied it but this doesn't happen with these, I actually had to take all of the colours off with nail polish remover, so that's a sign of a good polish to me! Now I'm no nail blogger so I do apologise that the pictures I've taken of each colour haven't been applied perfectly, I don't have very steady hands at all, but I thought it'd be useful to see how they look on me. Each picture shows 2 coats, with no top coat & my nails were pretty much dry in about 5 minutes. Hello speedy!

I'll start with my absolute favourite colour first which is called Vivacious & it's a beautiful hot pink. I'm wearing this on my nails right now & I think it's gorgeous. I like that it's not a bright barbie pink, it's deeper than that but still a statement polish with a lovely creamy & glossy finish.

Coming a close second is this stunning bright blueish-turquoise colour called Tenacious & it's definitely photographing more blue than it is in real life. Imagine this colour with a touch more green to it & that's what it looks like in the bottle. This one reminds me of the colour of the sea in some far away tropical location. I'd quite like to be in said tropical location right now but this polish will have to suffice. This is the colour I'll be painting my nails with next. It's very pretty!

My third favourite is called Spirited and on my nails this end up looking slightly more peach than it does in the bottle. I was expecting it to be a super bright orange colour but I think I prefer that it leans more towards a peachy orange on me because it makes it slightly more wearable. I think on tanned skin this would look absolutely incredible!

My least favourite colour is called Impulsive & it's a bright yellowy lime green. There's no denying that this colour is super striking, it just doesn't really suit my skin tone at all which makes it a little unwearable for me. Again, I can see this looking incredible on someone with a darker skin tone than me & I imagine that it would bring out a tan perfectly!

This nail polish set is a total bargain at £14.99 with all the main colours you would need for summer and the beautiful packaging means that it would also make a perfect gift!

Have you tried either of these products before? Would you be as thrilled as me to receive them as presents? Do you like gift websites like Find me a Gift & find them useful or can you never seem to find anything suitable on them?
xoxo

Monday Lust List 002.

I really enjoyed tinkering around in photoshop putting together a little visual representation of all the pretty things I would very much like to own last week so I must say, I was looking forward to another Monday rolling around so that I could do it again! ♥

1. Essie nail polish names are always ridiculously adorable, this one is called Smooth Sailing & there's no prizes for guessing why this is on my lust list! Cute name aside, I think this looks like a beautiful lavender toned blue & I currently don't have anything remotely like it in my small polish collection.

2. There's no denying the Benefit stains look adorable in their little nail polish-esque packaging and the colours often don't disappoint either. My heart always tells me that this tiny bottle will last me pretty much forever but my head says it's just far too pricey. For once I'm going with my head (for now) but Cha Cha Tint will remain firmly on my wish list for a long time!

3. I'm completely in love with this Little Nell half penny necklace. It would go with so many outfits & I know that it would quickly become one of those pieces that I just wouldn't take off, except you know, to shower of course!

4. Another beautiful piece that would go with so many of the dresses I own is this feather necklace from Temporary:Secretary. I've seen (and loved) so many feather necklaces over the past few months but the cut out detail of this one makes it a little bit special & extra pretty!

5. How Sarenza, the online shoe shop that everyone is talking about, has completely passed me by in the last few weeks I have no idea! I must have been living under a rock because I've only just discovered the site and had a good ol' nosey through. These Melissa boots in particular caught my eye & I love how simple they are, yet they have that added bit of beautiful detail. I'd love them to be sitting in my wardrobe waiting for the autumn and winter to arrive & since I conducted the boyfriend test (the one where I put on my highest heels and stand next to the boy to see if I'm taller) & found that he's still taller than me, my lust list has gained quite a few pairs of heels. There is, of course, absolutely nothing wrong with being taller than your significant other, I just have a ridiculous complex about being taller than my boyfriend and I have no idea why!

6. This beautiful blush is Mata Hari from NARS and I'm pretty sure that this will be the next luxury make up purchase I make whenever I find myself with a few extra pennies. I have more than enough make up, especially blusher, but this is a colour I've been longing for for a really long time & I know that it would get a lot of love forever & ever!

What's sitting at the top of your lust list at the moment?
xoxo

Sunday Snapshot: Instagram Style 006.

One. 

Last week I had a good hair day! Yay! Why can't it look pretty every day, that's what I want to know! I also found GOSH Darling lipstick at the bottom of my make up collection & decided to give it a go. I may have unwittingly broken an unwritten make up law by wearing it on its own, but I actually really liked the result. I may have also piled on the bronzer too that day to make me look more...alive. It sounds worse that it was, I don't think I looked too, what's the word, overdone. At least I hope I didn't. I felt kinda pretty, not gonna lie!

Two.

I'm still in love with my new uncut ruby ring. I look at it every now and again and smile. It's unusual & so beautiful and it really makes me appreciate how stunning nature can be.

Three & Four.

I've been testing out these beautiful polishes that were kindly sent to me by the PR company representing Find me a Gift & I've got to say I'm really impressed. I've rambled on before about how much trouble I have with nail polishes just peeling off an hour or so after I've applied them and I was really really impressed when these stayed on. I also secretly really loved having skittles-esque nails for a week!

Five & Six.  

I felt like I was in a glasses rut & I was lusting over new frames desperately so I gave the home trial from Glasses Direct a go and tried these London Retro frames. Now you don't have to mention how utterly ridiculous I look in the second pair, I'm well aware and we all had a good laugh when I tried them on. You're welcome to laugh too, it is pretty funny! I really really did like the first pair, they're the Shoreditch glasses, but the general consensus was that they're too big for my face. That's not a problem I usually have because I have a massive face, but sadly these will not be my next pair of frames. *sad face* If they didn't come quite so far up and cover my eyebrows I think they would have been the ones. Gah it's unfair, I really love them too, but I can't justify £99 on something that's not perfect!

Seven & Eight.

It wouldn't be instagram Sunday without a few pictures of Ralphie! It's hard work looking so cute all the time, oh and causing mischief constantly too! He's figured out when it's time to go back in his cage and since he's not too keen on being shut in (I have no clue why not, he lives in a bunny mansion!!) he decides to sit right under his hutch in a place where he knows I can't reach him. Going back into his hutch is always on his terms now. Thankfully a rustle of his favourite treats and he'll hop in willingly! Thank goodness he's easy to bribe! I've got to remember never to run out of those treats, they're life savers!

Have you had a good week & weekend? Have you had any exciting plans?
xoxo

Five Things I Love Friday 016.

One. Folksy.

I think it's super important to support sellers on Folksy & Etsy and any other handmade website! It's really lovely to purchase an item that's original & unique and you know that a thousand other people won't have it too!

Two. Floral patterns. 

They're just pretty, right? Floral dresses are especially pretty. They always remind me of being a little girl prancing around in the sunshine pretending I was a ballerina! Happy times!

Three. Prawn Cocktail crisps.

I don't know how something can smell so yucky but taste so good at the same time but these manage it! These couldn't be more inappropriate for eating in a social situation so they're reserved for at home lunch times only!

Four. Comfy clothes days!

My boyfriend let me borrow this hoodie many many weeks ago now and I've still not got around to giving it back. It's too comfy and warm to give back! I apologise for my thumb in the bottom picture, I was supposed to be doing a thumbs up but it just looks...broken! Eww.

Five. This amazing coat from one of Motel's upcoming collections!

I need this gorgeous creation in my life! It would be so so perfect for this autumn/winter & to be honest, I'd wear it in the evenings now since we don't seem to be getting much of a summer here in the UK! This is sitting firmly at the top of my lust list!

One. Red Brick Lipstick. Two. Nicola Claire. Three. Wayward Daughter.

Four. R for Rebecca. Five. Nicolle Ruby.

What have you been loving this week?
xoxo

Uncut Ruby Ring.

My hunt for an unusual silver ring is finally over because I found something completely perfect. I was originally lusting over an uncut diamond ring after seeing Kaelah's engagement ring but after some consideration I thought that diamonds are so perfect for an engagement & since I'm not engaged I wanted something similar but not the same. There's plenty of time for diamonds in the future after all!

After browsing the ring pages of Folksy for what seemed like forever I stumbled across this beauty & although I know this isn't going to be to everyone's taste, I absolutely adore it! I like anything that's slightly out of the ordinary and there's something very natural and beautiful about uncut and unpolished stones.

In natural light the ruby stone looks more vibrant and I really love its deep colour and tone which really contrasts against the clean silver base. I purchased it from this Folksy seller who was more than helpful in adjusting it to my ring size and it took just a couple of days to arrive on my doorstep! 

Is this a style of ring you would choose? Or do you prefer stones that shine and sparkle all of the time?

xoxo

P.S. Please excuse the multi coloured nails, as much as I love having skittles coloured nails I'm testing how these colours wear and how long they last! Also the pretty blue floral background in the last instagram photograph is my beautiful new dress that has brought a little bit of much needed summer into my life & I'll be writing a little review and featuring in an outfit of the day post super soon!

P.P.S. Please don't forget to enter my little Sawyer & Scout giveaway! ♥

Giveaway: Sawyer & Scout Jewellery.

Sawyer & Scout is a super sweet online store selling lots of really beautiful items from Bunny fridge magnets that I absolutely adore, to keyring/phone charms and domino necklaces. She also has a Harry Potter inspired necklace for all of you magic lovers! The wonderful Elise, the creative lady behind Sawyer & Scout has been sweet enough to offer these super cute items of jewellery for two of my lucky readers to win!

This gorgeous feather necklace would look so perfect with a simple white dress or a white vest top and some frayed denim shorts for a slight bohemian edge that is absolutely perfect for the summer festival season! 

This adorable little set features a little star charm on a blue bracelet, a dainty leaf charm on a purple bracelet and my favourite, a wonderful little wise owl charm on a red bracelet. These look super cute worn alone & I think they would look equally lovely paired with lots of other bracelets too for that super on trend layered look!

Elise sent me a bracelet with a little anchor charm on it and I've barely taken it off since I received it! It's one of those pieces of jewellery that you can just wear all the time & it'll go with anything! 

To enter: 

I’d like you to pop over to the Sawyer & Scout online shop & then leave me a comment below letting me know what your favourite piece is! In your comment I’d also like you to let me know whether you want to be entered to win the feather necklace or the bracelets – or you can be entered for both if you would like! Finally don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

***

If you’d like to gain more than one chance of winning then you can complete one or all of these optional extra entries:

1. Follow Sawyer & Scout on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sawyerandscout & leave your twitter name along with your comment below!

2. Tweet “Jennie @sailorjennie is holding a @sawyerandscout jewellery giveaway & I’d like to win! http://www.sailorjennie.com xo” & leave your twitter name or a link to your tweet in your comment below!

3. Pop over to facebook and ‘Like’ my Sailboat facebook page & let me know your facebook name in your comment below. (I’ve added this option to make it slightly fairer for those who don’t have a twitter account and would like the chance to gain an extra entry!)

This giveaway will be open for 2 weeks and will close on Wednesday 3rd August at midnight BST. I’ll draw the winners using random.org on Thursday 4th August. If you’re under 16 please get your parent/guardian's permission because I’ll need your postal address if you win!

Good Luck! 

xoxo

Monday Lust List 001.

I never seem to look forward to Monday's, even during times in which they don't mark the start of my working week. For some reason good things don't seem to happen in my life on a Monday so in a bid to put a smile on my face, even for just a little while, I decided to have a browse online and look at pretty things I'd like to own. Even though I probably never will own every item, unless of course a money tree decided to plant itself in my garden in which case I'd buy everyone a present, I find window shopping strangely therapeutic. Is that weird? Maybe, but at the very least it's nice looking at pretty pictures!

1. My inner magpie saw this super pretty sparkly princess ring on the Temporary:Secretary website and squealed a little! I adore the blue ring a la Princess Kate but this colour has the edge for me because it's just that little bit different. Perfect.

2. I first saw this rose garland on the Temporary:Secretary blog when Sarah was doing a little outfit of the day with a super cute bunny dress & I instantly loved it. I know lots of other people did too because I think it went on sale and then sold out super quickly! A lot of these flower garland accessories on the high street have been a bit garish and well, just a bit much but this one is more understated & subtle which I really like.

3. This lace dress from Topshop is a super popular one & I can see why, it's beautiful. Unfortunately I don't have the legs for a dress like this but I've seen lots of beautiful girlies looking fabulous in it, especially the blue one they had in stock a little while back.

4. Having never have tried a Models Own nail polish before I have no idea what the quality is like but when I was browsing ASOS I spotted this beautiful jade colour in their new pro range. I'm sure it's not the most unique of colours but it looks stunning & perfect for the summer months!

5. I don't think I will ever stop lusting over a pair of these Vivienne Westwood shoes. I have a pair of black shoes in a similar style to these already so I sadly can't justify the £150 price tag when my other pair don't get a lot of love. The Viv shoes come in a gorgeous pink shade but I'm not sure that I'd be able to pull them off. Maybe this is one of those things I'm just meant to admire from afar!

6. ASOS have recently started stocking Stila make up products and I have to admit that I'm a little shocked at how pricey they are. I thought Stila was a super affordable brand but it looks like I was pretty wrong there! When you think of Stila you'll probably automatically think of Kitten eyeshadow. I've always thought it was a pretty colour & I love the idea of these little smudge pots.

Are you lusting over anything at the moment?
xoxo

Sunday Snapshots: Instagram Style 005.

One. Hello!

Two. If you like peachy pink shimmery cheeks and you have a spare £20.50 laying around, you need need need to get Semi-Precious Rose Quartz Mineralize Skinfinish from MAC. If it were possible to be in love with a make up product then I would be with this. I'd be taking it on dates to the cinema and everything. I might even treat it to a yummy dinner after too. Seriously. It's love.

Three. This week I registered on to another module with The Open University and I can already sense that it's going to be a tough module to get through. It's a compulsory course for my chosen English Language & Literature degree and I'm definitely going to have to put in the hours to get the grade I'm hoping for at the end. It'll be worth it though. Someone once told me that if everything were easy, there would be no point in doing it. I like a challenge!

Four. My ears have decided that they no longer get along with cheap earrings. They're now demanding nothing less than silver & I'd rather that they didn't hurt so I'm doing what they tell me! These adorable little silver bow earrings are from Simply Silver by Jon Richard and I got them from Debenhams for just £7.50. What a bargain!

Five. This is Ralphie being cute because he'd just done something naughty. He knows when he's done something he shouldn't have. I think this is his toddler phase. It's okay though, it's impossible to stay mad at that face for any longer than half a second.

Six. This is Ralphie being nosy. He also loves posing for the camera. What a cutie!

Are you having a good weekend?  Have you been on any exciting adventures?
Happy Sunday!
xoxo

Face of Yesterday: Lets Talk About Specs Baby & Face Routine Chatter!

Is it as rainy and miserable where you are as it is here right now? Instead of venturing into town which would have resulted in wet hair and a very grumpy Jennie, I've opted to stay home where it's warm and I've got an abundance of hot chocolate and crisps. Today is going to be a fat day, I can sense it already.

Over the last couple of days I've settled into a nice little foundation routine & I get asked a lot to talk through all the slap I put on my face every day so this seems like the perfect opportunity.

The Vichy Aqualia Thermal Fortifying & Soothing 24hr Hydrating Care (wow that was a mouthful!) moisturiser is really beautiful. If you have super dry skin maybe you'd want to go for something a little heavier because although this is excellent at hydrating the skin without feeling heavy or greasy, it's sometimes not quite enough. For me it's perfect for the day time and makes a really perfect base for make up but I know I'm on the lookout for a slightly richer cream to use as a night cream.

I have also been popping the Witch Anti-Blemish Skin Clearing Primer on once my moisturiser has sunk in over any especially dry areas of my face such as my cheeks and my nose. Has this helped clear my skin of blemishes? No, but I've found that it does make any foundation apply much more easily and smoothly, which is good!

In terms of foundation I always end up going back to one, and that is MAC Face & Body. This is the only foundation I currently own that doesn't accentuate dry patches on my skin. Now this foundation isn't perfect for me, I could do with one shade lighter and it doesn't quite have the coverage that I would prefer. So if anyone knows of a foundation that doesn't accentuate dry patches on the face, caters for very fair skin and has a medium coverage finish then please let me know!! I think Face & Body can sometimes feel a little heavy on the skin but it wears beautifully throughout the day & even when it's super hot outside and you feel like you're going to melt, this foundation stays put and keeps the rest of your make up looking perfect. It's pretty magical!

I've started to fall back in love with Boi-ing concealer from Benefit which is not good for my purse! This little pot is expensive but because it's quite thick in texture, I feel it gives me slightly more coverage than my other favourite concealer, Lasting Perfection from Collection 2000. In the inner corners of my eyes I've started reaching for Erase Paste from Benefit again. This little pot of brightening goodness is really really lovely. It's very pricey but I've had this same pot for ages and I've still got lots left. It can be a little dry sometimes so make sure you really warm it up using your fingers and don't rub it in to the skin, gently tap it instead. It works wonders!

I always like to powder my foundations, I'm not sure why because I don't think I really need to but I do really like the Witch Pressed Powder in Translucent. I do prefer loose powders generally but this ensures my make up doesn't budge all day!

With eye make up I used to be a '3 coats of mascara and go' girl but lately I've learned how to create the illusion of actually having eyelids & a socket line & I say illusion because I don't really have either of those, darn those hooded eyelids of mine! Using the Urban Decay Naked Palette I've been popping a light dusting of Virgin in the inner corner and over the lid which works wonderfully at brightening the eyes and making me look more awake. Then I mix Naked and Buck on a fluffy brush and start shading in a socket line & building up the intensity. It's subtle but I really like it and it only takes a couple of minutes to do both eyes!

Mascara wise I switch it up all the time but I'm currently testing the new Collection 2000 Super Size Fat Lash. So far I think it's okay, but it's certainly nothing special and I think I prefer Collection 2000's Big Fake Mascara because it makes more of an impact which is good if you have rubbishy lashes like I do!

My favourite part of doing my make up is blusher and we all know by now that my blush collection is a little bit silly. This part of my routine changes all the time but I'm currently pretty obsessed with these two products. The Chocolate Bronzer from Bourjois is my favourite because it blends really easily, it's not shimmery and it looks really natural on the skin. I use this mainly to define my cheekbones but I do sometimes use it to give myself a tiny bit of overall colour and it works wonderfully for that too!

Blush wise, Semi-Precious Rose Quartz from MAC is my new love. It looks gorgeous in the pan and it looks equally as gorgeous on the skin. I squish my brush so it picks up the outer pink colour and dust it over my cheeks before using a slightly smaller brush to pick up some of the centre colour and I apply that to the tops of my cheekbones as a highlight. I adore it!

Finally another step that changes all the time is lips. My lips are always dry so Carmex is a must & then the colours I go for depend on my mood that day. I'm going through a pink phase at the moment so I've been reaching for my Collection 2000 Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in the shade Cotton Candy & then popping a Natural Collection gloss in the shade Sherbet Fizz over the top. Both lip products smell like cake, and as we established the other day, I like cake! Yum.

So that may seem like a lot of products, it does to me, but it doesn't take that long to apply & I don't think I end up looking overdone at all. You can judge for yourself in the picture below!

Now, lets talk about specs...

The other day I discovered that I own a lot of glasses & I usually only ever wear one pair but we all like to have a bit of choice don't we! I'd forgotten that I owned these beauties and they've been getting a lot of love since I rediscovered them! Now I am well aware that these are not going to be to everyone's taste but I love love love them! Without my glasses I can't really see a lot, contact lenses aren't the most comfortable things in the world for me, and since I wear my glasses a lot I want to make a statement with them. There used to be a huge stigma attached to wearing specs and I think that's mostly gone away now which is great! They're not something to be embarrassed about at all and honestly, more people wear glasses than you'd imagine!

I've been lusting over a new pair of glasses so I'm going to give the home trial from Glasses Direct a go. I'm after something a little bit different and I've fallen in love with the frames from London Retro so I'm hoping one of those will suit me! I think I should also opt for a pair of prescription sunglasses because squinting all summer long isn't a sexy look!

Do you wear specs? Do you like to go for statement frames or do you prefer a more subtle look?
What's your current go to face routine?
xoxo